Florida Medical Marijuana Measure Qualifies For 2016 Ballot

Floridians will decide on a proposed constitutional amendment this November that seeks to permit the physician-authorized use and distribution of cannabis for therapeutic purposes.

Proponents of the measure, United for Care, collected more than the 683,000 signatures required to place the measure on the November ballot, the Florida Division of Elections has confirmed.

The ballot measure, entitled the “Use of Marijuana for Debilitating Conditions,” will appear before voters as Amendment 2.

Passage of the amendment would permit qualified patients to possess and obtain cannabis from state-licensed facilities. According to a November poll, 62 percent of Florida voters say that they support the passage of the amendment.

According to Florida law, 60 percent of voters must approve a constitutional amendment in order for it to become law.

In November 2014, Floridians narrowly rejected a similar amendment, which received 58 percent of the vote.